Citadel Salah Al-Din

Disclaimer: These a long winded blog posts. Your choice how much you read but these are purely my take on my adventures in the Middle East

I promised to blog about my travels so here goes. No words can explain the full experience that I had, the sights that I saw and the emotional and physical aspect of the entire Middle East Tour.

My parents decided that we should do Uncle Abie Dawjee’s Middle East Educational Tour for the mere reason that we would be seeing more places and in the hope that we all would learn the history or the Middle East better from someone who understands it and reads about it extensively. The blog posts that follow have nothing to do with what he said and I hope not to preach anything much about it but just to share my experiences completely.

So we set out on December 16, 2010, to do five countries, 7 cities in two weeks. No easy feat but think about it along the lines of Contiki Middle East style.

It was exactly that. Loads of traveling over land, in tour buses and sleeping one night in places, which you would never usually book at. Those were the little things to me. In all honesty it was more like ‘sleep when you dead’.

Landing in Cairo in the early part of the morning, we were all loaded into the various tour buses and taken out immediately to see the sites of Cairo.

The land of Kings and Queens, Pharaohs and Roman Emperors, the old and the new. That is Egypt. Mythical, mystic and one that you either love or hate in a heart beat.

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

Yes, the pyramids, sphinx, perfume shops, and bazaars as well as the “Citadel of Salah Al-Din” were our calling card on the first day of travels. Not only that but we also managed to fit in Jumuah [Muslim Friday Prayer] into that day as well. This was a tour filled with Muslims, so lots of salaah [prayer] stopovers were required.

The citadel is one of the most beautiful places. Its called Salahudin’s citadel as he prepared his armies from this and various other locations to take back the land of Palestine from the Crusaders. He is also honoured for being a leader who did so without shedding unnecessary blood and for not killing innocent women and children. It also is a mosque whose architect was a Jew. Just goes to show that Muslims and Jews can live in peace and harmony. [We just don't like Zionists much]

That night for those who wanted to, there was the Nile cruise, which included food, belly dancers, and whirling dervish amongst other things. Our family decided to pass up on that as we had visited Cairo before and have been on the Nile cruise. From other who went, they immediately proclaimed that it was indeed awesome and definitely not to be missed.

The Great Pyramids of Giza

The following morning started out true adventure around the Middle East. Climbing onto the bus, we started out journey along the route the Prophet Musa (A.S.) [Prophet Moses] took on his flight out of Egypt and then on his escape from Firaun [Pharaoh]. Through the dusty, dessert of Egypt we went, till we reached the most important canal in the world today – the Suez Canal.

The Suez was actually built by French investors to shorten the trade routes. So instead of a trade route that went around the tip of Africa from India to Europe, it went through the Red Sea, Egypt and into the Mediterranean.

You can imagine how surreal it is to see a ship moving across the desert sands of Egypt. Almost floating on a magic carpet. My imagination was running a little wild when we happened to see what looked like a container ship floating over the sands. Blinding to the senses.

Container Ship on the Suez Canal

We crossed the Suez by actually going under the canal. The Suez is one of the most important canals and the importance can be seen in the various phases of its history. Firstly when Egypt decided that it belonged to them and it should be nationalized, the ‘Suez Crisis’ ensued. Thereafter during the 1967 war between the Arab nations and Israel, due to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, which to this day still continues.

Fact: The taxes on the Suez can finance one person in Egypt $300 per day according to a population of 60 million people as worked out a few years ago. Sadly this cannot be seen amongst the population today.

Under the Suez and continuing on Musa (A.S.)’s journey we came to the ‘Wells of Musa’. These were a number of wells of which we only say about three but which originally numbered close on 20. It was in this area that Allah [God] provided the Israelites water when they fled Firaun.

The sea from these wells is approximately 1km away and, according to the Qur’an, is where Musa (A.S.) fled from Firaun. Across the sea on a clear say you can see a mountain that looks like Firaun lying dead with his hands crossed against his chest and his head lying back.

Bedouins still inhabit this area and we were able to buy a few trinkets from them.

Bedouin Women Trading

Back on the buses and we headed to Sharm el-Sheik , passing by Mount Musa, where Musa (A.S.) was given the 10 commandments, which forms one of the holiest books in history, the Torah. A book all Muslims believe in as well.

Sharm el-Sheik: Best diving spot in the world, Red Sea

Sharm was completely full of beauty and I would have loved to dive there but sadly the shark attack a week or so before we arrived changed my original plans. Still swam in the Red Sea and saw the most beautiful fish swim around my feet. Also Sharm brought with it the entire beach resort experience with night life and so on. Joined the girls and headed to a shisha/hooka/hubbly setting. Brilliant watching the so dubbed ‘Boy Bands’ do boy band moves to entice people into their shisha houses. Yah group of guys doing the exact same dance steps to the loudest music. Hilarious but also an amazing site to see. Got to also do a little desert quad biking at sunset and boy was that an experience.

Sharm Boy Bands

Desert Quad Biking

Travels 2 to follow… Crossing the Red Sea and experiencing a little of Jordan.

*Pics of first leg here

People usually tell me my life is exciting but these last two days steal the cake for this month. Yesterday, 17 November 2010, was Eid ul Adha. One of the times I love most and I love going home, Durban and spending it with the family. This year was no different except that I had all of one day at home to celebrate it. Flew down early in the morning and flew back the next morning. Exciting times!

Eid was a little different this year. Headed out to Inchanga Islamic Centre as usual to cut my Qurbani [sheep] and ended up staying to help my uncle who was short staffed. He runs proceedings at the centre and helps facilitate the entire Qurbani process. Having stayed longer it was interesting to see my cousin who normally would never get involved stay and help as well. She is really a girly girl and even though six months my junior we are like toasted chalk and cheese. So different but so together, if you catch my drift.

Then it was loads of family time and that I love most in the world. I have this motto: “Family First” and so far I’ve always managed to stick with it. So much so that at times I miss out on some pretty exciting opportunities, but family is my life and that’s the way it should be. So happens that my extended family – aunts, uncles, cousins – are so close to me that not spending enough time with them, is sometimes actually bad for me and makes me moody. Go figure!

More excitement arrived today, 18 November 2010. I managed to get pick pocketed at OR Tambo International Airport on returning to miserable, coldish Johannesburg. Sigh. Running around like a frantic chicken with out a head is definitely a sight to see. I’ve been fortunate in the past that this has never happened to me and I am grateful that the incident this morning did not have anything to do with being held up or threatened or confronted in any way. Also I am grateful that the only thing they managed to take was my cellphone and not my wallet also lying in the same bag.

Today is Thankful Thursday and I am thankful, for family, friends and moments that even though bad have a silver lining in them.

My sisters amazing Eclairs - she caters for Durban

It’s Ramadan, and during this time most people hate travelling. Somehow though it always happens with me that I get sent away to some African country. First year in Jhb and lucky I was sent to Madagascar about 2 weeks after Ramadan. Second year in Jhb [last year] I get sent to Accra, Ghana. This year the beginning of my third year I get sent to a country on South Africa’s doorstep, yet I haven’t visited till now…Mozambique.

I started typing this delightful blog entry in Maputo, but it got forgotten when the workload came in. So excuse the late posting of this here simple piece…
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So here I sit in Maputo typing this and wondering how much longer to go till I can break my fast. Supposed to be paying attention to the training programme that Inter Press Service Africa is running with journalists from all over Africa, but my priority is food right now.

Maputo is an awesome place. I’m one of those weird types who loves travelling Africa. So far every country I’ve been to is awesome in my book. And Maputo is no different.

Flight sadly was delayed so landed only at 9pm [SA and Maputo share the same time zone]. But the plane ride alone was an experience and a half. If you’ve been on a rollercoaster you know the feeling when it falls and the pit of your stomach just goes upside down. Well it was exactly like that. Travelling in a brand spanking new LAM small plane – smaller then the conventional plane we use travelling between cities in SA – the take off went smooth but the ride just got bumpy. Any turbulence hit sent the plane up and down like a rollercoaster — only thing missing was the loop the loops and the funny twists and turn.

Landing the first thing I noticed was that Maputo is a brightly lit city, no different from Johannesburg or Cape Town, BUT the streets are heavily lit and not really the houses. An oddity to say the least.

The hotel we were accommodated in was the same one the conference would be held in. the Fanrpan dialogue, would be an interesting one as only their name alone can suggest. FANRPAN = Food Agriculture Natural Resources and Policy Analysis Network – Regional Policy dialogue.

Yes that’s exactly what I attended. A mouthful and a half to say the least.

So first thing was worrying about sehri for the next morning. Yes I know as a traveller, I did not have to fast but I wanted to and I also felt that I needed to as my journey was not a difficult one and neither was it an entirely different time zone. So I fasted and it was easy. [well some what easy – have to admit I had moments where I wished I wasn’t fasting but I kept them all]

Sehri was provided by the hotel kitchen before I headed to sleep. Two rolls and some butter. Its very hard trying to communicate with them if they only speak Portuguese. Water in my hotel room and I was sorted for suhoor. Why didn’t i just order room service? well for one it ends at midnight and two because they were terribly expensive! No idea why but they were!

I was lucky that my old housemate Zakiyya’s sister is married and staying in Maputo as well. Hajra took it upon herself to make sure I had food for iftaar and sehri every day till I left. Thanks to her I was sorted for the one week from Monday till Friday. But the Friday to Sunday I fended for myself. I had carried some Kajoor so that again was no problem, the hunger and thirst though was madness. Use to head straight out from the conference to my room and hunt for some chips [crisps] and junk food.

After though I royally indulged in the delicacies that make Mozambique famous. Portuguese chicken, fresh fish, crab curry, prawns and even a huge lobster was on the menu for me when I joined my colleagues for supper around the town.

I think I most probably put on more weight in Maputo then I have ever done in any other Ramadan.

I hunted for a mosque near where we stayed, but found none sadly. I was though shown one on one of the field trips slightly out of the city. Managed to catch Iftaar with some of the locals. Portuguese bread is amazing. Not like the synthetic rolls we get here.

definitely my highlight moment.

Next blog… all about Maputo.

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Mosque approximately 12km out of central Maputo. They all sitting on the stoop for iftaar waiting for Azaan to be called.

An attempt at rediscovery and finding a way to write again…

There’s this place just north of Durban, that we use to frequent often growing up. It’s also one of those special places to me. Surrounded by a nature reserve we use to go there on weekends for a braai and picnic or I use to escape there from campus when things were getting a bit much.

Once you head out on the yellow trail for a short hike, you can see the most amazing views. Rolling hills, topped with trees in all their finery, dressed in their best greens and the sweetest voices calling from nests among the finery. Walking through archways created by the overhanging branches and spotted and dotted with white flowers, you turn down the partway and climb endlessly to the bottom of till you feel the cool breeze rising from deep within the canopy calling your name. Inviting you towards the sound of rippling brooks and bubbling streams. As you move towards the sound and get closer and closer the soft sounds turn into faster waters, calling out.

Step through the breaking trees, not more then inkling in front of you runs a stream. Following it closely upstream, you can hear a deep gurgling rushing sound. A little further up and you see one of the most breathtaking, jaw dropping unspoilt wonders of nature. A waterfall gushing down into a dark whirlpool of water, it reminds you of a washing machine in spin cycle.

This is my place; this is the place that is special to me. That holds my breath and lets me breath again. Somewhere I feel at peace. I watch the falls. The gurgling plunge pool and I let it ease my worries and mind.

I miss that place. One day I will go back and find the peace so breathtaking, so brilliant, and so untouched by the outside world, by the mundane life that takes us on an ever fast moving race to the finish line. So much so that we don’t have a chance to stop and enjoy the wonders of the world around us.

A place in just outside of Durban...picture taken a while back